WATCH RECORDING
UConn's Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation is holding a one-day conference at UConn Avery Point in Groton on Thursday, November 13, 2025, to learn about the Resilient Connecticut program.
Agenda
| 8:30 - 9:00 | Arrival, registration, coffee |
| 9:00 - 9:05 | Welcome Remarks - Lindsay DiStefano, Interim UConn Vice President for Research |
| 9:05 - 9:45 | CIRCA Update Presentation – Jim O’Donnell, CIRCA Executive Director |
| 9:45 - 10:00 | Keynote Speaker - Katie Dykes. CT DEEP |
| 10:00 - 11:00 | Panel 1 – A Self-Reliant Resilient Connecticut: Connecticut’s resiliency strategy moving forward- Katie Dykes, CT DEEP; Brenda Bergeron, DEMHS; Bryan Garcia, Green Bank; Bill Dornbos, Assistant Attorney General |
| 11:20-11:30 | Morning break |
| 11:30-11:55 | Connecticut’s Climate Resilience Research Agenda - Jim O’Donnell, Joe MacDougald and Emmanouil Anagnostou |
| 11:55- 12:55 | Panel 2 – Putting Recent Policy Changes into Practice: – Joanna Wozniak-Brown, OPM; Chris Field, CT DEEP; John Michael Parker, CT Legislature |
| 12:55-1:40 | Lunch |
| 1:40-3:30 | Afternoon Breakouts |
| 1:40-2:40 | Breakout 1 – Choose one:
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| 2:40-2:50 | Afternoon break |
| 2:50-3:50 | Breakout 2 – Choose one:
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| 3:50-4:00 | Closing and Thanks |
Presentations
Resilient Connecticut Update by James O’Donnell
Speaker: James O'Donnell CIRCA, Executive Director
Summary: A comprehensive overview of CIRCA's mission and programs, highlighting the breadth of current projects and engagement within the institute.
Slides: CIRCA Resilient CT Update Summit 2025
Resilient Connecticut Case Studies
Breakout 1.1
Speakers: Helen Zincavage, SECOG; David Burgy, Stantec; Beth Kirmmse and Ian Concannon, Fuss and O’Neill; Nicole Govert and Mary Buchanan, CIRCA
Summary: An overview of the Resilient Connecticut program, with a focus on two projects: Resilient Yantic and Resilient Mystic. The session highlighted the flood-related challenges facing each of these municipalities and outlined a range of resilience strategies to reduce flood risk. These examples illustrated how the Resilient Connecticut program supports communities across the state in planning for, mitigating, and adapting to the increasing impacts of flooding.
Slides: Resilient Connecticut Phase III Breakout Presentation
Resilient Mystic Final Presentation Resilient Connecticut Summit
Resiliency Improvement District
Breakout 1.2
Speakers: Austin Dziki and Leigh Whelpton, CT Green Bank; Leigh Whelpton, CT Green Bank; Andrew Salkin and Mbacke Faye, Resilient Cities Catalyst; John Truscinski, CIRCA
Summary: This breakout session provided an overview of Connecticut’s new Resiliency Improvement Districts (RID) legislation, explaining why RIDs are needed now and outlining the requirements of Public Act No. 25-33. Participants explored potential applications through CIRCA Phase III case studies and examined examples of successful RIDs from outside Connecticut.
Slides: From Risk to Readiness, Resilient Improvement Districts (RIDs) – Roadmap
Heat and Health
Breakout 1.3
Speakers: Yaprak Onat and Libbie Duskin, CIRCA; Rebecca Stearns, Korey Stringer Institute
Summary: CIRCA presented neighborhood-level heat index variability derived from a municipal sensor network, demonstrating how local measurements inform adaptation and resiliency actions and targeted outreach. The Korey Stringer Institute summarized heat-illness burdens among athletes, warfighters, and laborers and outlined evidence-based prevention measures that can reduce incidents and improve outcomes.
Slides: Heat and Health Presentation
Flood Alert System
Breakout 2.1
Speakers: Yaprak Onat and Marc de Vos, CIRCA
Summary: This session examined the different scales of tidal and stormwater flooding across Connecticut and the operational limits of model-only approaches. CIRCA demonstrated how integrating continuous measurements and locally defined thresholds produces reliable, timely alerts that reduce nuisance flooding impacts. Case studies from Branford and Stamford translated these practices into a repeatable implementation pathway for municipalities.
Slides: Flood Alert System Presentation
Residential Resilience in Connecticut
Breakout 2.2
Speakers: Jaclyn Giannini, WestCOG; George Bradner, Department of Insurance; Robert Hotaling, Connecticut Department of Community and Economic Development; Sonja Larkin-Thorne, Co-Chair of the Severe Weather Mitigation & Resiliency Advisory Council and Consumer Advocate; John Truscinski, CIRCA
Summary: This breakout session focused on advancing residential resilience in Connecticut, highlighting recommendations from the Severe Weather Mitigation & Resiliency Advisory Council to strengthen homeowner support, pilot a roof-fortification grant program in high-risk areas, and expand public awareness and insurance education. It also featured WestCOG’s Regional Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, launched in 2022 to help communities pursue FEMA mitigation funding with free technical assistance.
Slides: Blueprint for Resiliency Presentation
Simplifying the System WestCOGs Approach to Regional Resilience Presentation
Climate and Equity Grant Community Projects
Breakout 2.3
Speakers: Mary Buchanan, CIRCA; Rebecca French, CT DEEP; Brenda Watson, North Hartford Partnership; Michelle Eckman, Allison Pilcher and Sydney Barnwell, Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs; Vanessa Liles, PT Partners
Summary: During the Climate and Equity Grant Community Projects breakout session, attendees heard from Dr. Mary Buchanan (CIRCA) and Dr. Rebecca French (CT DEEP) about the history and goals of the Climate & Equity grant program, and then heard project presentations from two of the grantee organizations in the current grant round. Brenda Watson from the North Hartford Partnership gave an overview of NHP’s remarkable work of the Swift Factory, including a composting project to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Then Michelle Eckman, Allison Pilcher, and Sydney Barnwell from the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, in partnership with Vanessa Liles from PT Partners, presented on their extensive community outreach work in Bridgeport.
Slides: Climate and Equity Session Intro
North Hartford Partnership SWIFT
Posters
Resilient East Haddam
Resilient East Hartford
Resilient Jewett City
Resilient Mystic
Resilient Piper and Webster Brook
Resilient Portland
Resilient Yantic
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